1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to the field of firearms, and more specifically to the operating system of a firearm.
2. Background of the Invention
The roller-lock delayed blowback action system has been employed in rifles and sub-machine guns since the 1950's and is well known to those familiar with firearm design, but it has not previously been employed in a semi-automatic shotgun. This is likely because the large diameter of the cartridge would require a disproportionately bulky mechanism and would interfere with the space necessary for feeding and ejecting the cartridges when situated near the front of the bolt—as in all previous known designs. However, it is desirable to provide a roller-lock delayed blowback action system for a shotgun because it would offer an alternative to: gas-operated systems that are subject to fouling; recoil-operated systems that are notoriously unreliable; and straight blowback systems that require an undesirable heavy bolt.